Notes and Editorial Reviews

Sergio Vartolo’s three productions of the Monteverdi operas at Pigna, Corsica, were recorded for Brilliant. Poppea was made in 2004... Poppea deserved attention for its most unusual feature, the role of Nerone. Vartolo is firmly set against “false” voices, hence his abhorrence of using falsettists or countertenors in roles written for castrati, even though he sang such roles himself “for a long time.” In act II Nerone’s duet with Lucano requires a tenor singing in thirds, not a high voice singing in 10ths. But in act III Nerone’s duets with Poppea require a high voice. Vartolo thus explains with great conviction his casting of a soprano Nerone in acts I and III and a tenor Nerone in act II. He admits that “a staged performance would almostRead more certainly require a different approach.” Some may judge, a priori, that this solution vitiates the performance, but, reading Vartolo’s essay and listening to his performance, this is clearly a recording to reckon with.

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